Collapsible stake-pocket.



G. O. KEAGY & J. R. GARMER.

GOLLAPSIBLE STAKE POCKET.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 10, 1912.

Patented Dec. 3, 1912.

STATES Pa'rn 'r r ion.

CHARLES 0. KEAGY AND JAMES R. CARMER, 0F WILMINGTON, DELAWARE.

COLLAPSIBLE STAKE-POCKET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 3,1912.

Application filed July 10, 1912. Serial No. 708,713.

stake pocket or holder for application toboth the inside and outside of gondola cars, but has been devised for use on the inside of a car body.

Car bodies having stake pockets applied to the inside are of modern build and are adapted to keep the car body within clearing dimensions, it being understood that stakes are used with this class of cars when lumber, logs or otherlike commodities are loaded therein and when it is necessary to extend the load beyond the top of the sides to obtain the proper amount of tonnage. When these pockets are not in use they are materially in the way when the cars are loaded with granite, steel or other heavy material not requiring side stakes, with the result that the pockets are broken off and the sides of the cars damaged.

The object of the present invention is to provide for the application of stake pockets or holders to the inside of gondola cars and to have the said pockets so mounted that when not in use they may be collapsed or folded against the side of the car and thereby prevent damage to the pockets or to that portion of the car body to which they are fastened.

The invention consists in the preferred construction and arrangement of the several parts which will be more fully hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawing a preferred embodiment of the invention is disclosed, and therein Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a car showing the improved stake pocket or holder applied thereto and disposed in operative position in full lines and shown in lowered or collapsed position in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section through the side of the car body showing the stake pocket or holder in plan view and the bearings and clamps therefor in section,

' improved device may the stake pocket or holder being illustrated in full lines in one position and in dotted lines in a shifted position. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section on the line 3-3, Fig. 1. Fig. 4: illustrates detail perspective views of the parts of the pocket or holder dissociated. The numeral 5 designates the body of a car, preferably of the gondola type, and at suitable intervals along the inner side thereof the improved stake pocket or holder is applied. While it is preferred that the stake pocket or holder be applied to the interior of the body 5, it will be understod that the be equally well used on the exterior of the car body, or be used on the side edge of the body of a fiat car if so desired. No modification of the struc ture of the improved stake pocket or holder is necessary in varying the application thereof, as the same elements with identical functions are employed in all instances.

The improved stake pocket or holder comprises'opposed bearing members or socket pieces 6 and 7 and a socket loop or bow 8 having oppositely projecting bearing extremities 9 and 10. The bearing extremities 9 and 10 constitute the fulcrums or pivot members for the socket loop or bow 8. The bearing members or socket pieces 6 and 7 each have a central bearing seat 11 which is formed by giving the intermediate portion of the bearing piece or socket an outward swell to produce arearwardly opening transverse channel 12. The bearing members or socket pieces 6 and 7 have attaching extremities 13 above and below the seats 11 for the reception of securing bolts or other devices 14, and extending from the intermediate seat 11 of the bearing member or piece 6 is a horizontal abutment 15 of greater horizontal extent than the width of the said seat so that this abutment may project inwardly beyond the inner side wall of the seat. The upper attaching extremity 13 of the member or piece 6 is of the same width as the horizontal extent of the abutment 15 so as to strengthen the latter and reinforce the said abutment against breakage by the strain imposed thereon. The inner lower portion of the bearing member or piece 7 has an abutment 16 formed therewith and comprising a horizontal bearing the loop or bow abutment 15 is surface 17 and a downwardly inclined retention surface or recess 18 for a purpose which will be presently described. The abutments 15 and 16 are respectively in planes coincident with the upper and lower terminals of the transverse or cross-channels 12 so that the abutment 15 will form an upper stop and the abutment 16 a lower stop. The bearing extremities 9 and 10 of the socket loop or bow 8 when the parts of the device are associated are longitudinally shiftable as well as rotatable in the seats 11 of the bearing members or socket pieces 6 and 7, and it will be understood that the said bearing members or socket pieces will be secured to the car sideat a predetermined distance apart to accomplish the operation of readily collapsing or setting the socket loop or bow 8 in operative position.

The abutment 15 is longer than the abutment 16, or in other words, the abutment 15 extends inwardly a greater distance than the abutment 16, and when the socket loop or bow 8 is horizontally disposed and held by the two abutments against movement both above and below a horizontal plane, the one end member of the loop or bow 8 engaged by the abutment 15 will project inwardly beyond the inner terminal of the latter and likewise the opposite end of the loop or bow 8 will project inwardly beyond the inner terminal of the abutment 16, and consequently the stake when in engagement with 8 cannot become jammed against either abutment terminal and will therefore be more readily removable from the loop or bow 8 between the end members of which the stake is solely held.

When it is desired to collapse the improved stake pocket or holder the bow or loop 8 and the extremities 9 and 10 thereof are longitudinally shifted toward the left so as to cause the one side member of the loop or bow to clear the horizontal bearing surface 17 of the abutment 16, and when such clearance has been obtained the loop or bow may be turned down or permitted to fall into vertical position, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1. To restore the loop or bow 8 to working position, as shown by full lines in Fig. 1, it is only necessary to elevate the same to a horizontal position or until the inwardly projecting portion of the struck by the adjacent side member of the loopor bow, and when in this horizontal position the loop or bow with its extremities 9 and 10 is shifted to the right until the opposite side member of the loop or bow engages the horizontal bearing surface 17. When the loop or bow is in this latter position it cannot be raised or depressed by reason of the counteracting effect of the two abutments 15 and 16 which 00-- cupy reverse positions. The downwardly inclined surface or recess 18 causes the loop or bow 8 to settle inwardly toward the side of the car to prevent rattling of the same. When the pockets or holders are arranged as shownby Fig. 1, the stakes may be readily inserted therein and prior to collapsing the pockets or holders the stakes will be withdrawn therefrom.

It will be understood that the proportions, dimensions and minor details of the pocket or holder may be modified without departing from the spirit of the invention.

WVhat is claimed is:

1. A collapsible stake pocket or holder for the purpose specified, comprising opposed bearing devices provided with reverse abutments, and a stake loop movable upwardly solely to a horizontal plane and shiftably mounted-in the bearing devices, the upper portion of one end member of the loop being engageable by the one abutment and the lower portion of the opposite end member adapted to bear on the remaining abutment.

2. A collapsible stake pocket or holder for the purpose specified, comprising opposed bearing devices having reversely arranged abutments, and a stake loop movable upwardly solely to a horizontal plane and longitudinally shiftable between the bearing devices and the abutments and the one abutment having engagement with the top of one end of the loop and the other abutment engaging the lower portion of the remaining loop end.

3. A collapsible stake pocket or holder for the purpose specified, comprising opposed bearing devices, and a stake loop mounted between the bearing devices and movable upwardly to a horizontal plane solely and shiftable in the latter when disposed in a horizontal plane and also adapted to be elevated and depressed, the bearing devices having means for engaging opposite side portions of the loop for holding the latter in fixed horizontal position.

4. A collapsible stake pocket or holder for the purpose specified, comprising opposed bearing devices having inwardly projecting reverse abutments, one of. the ,abutments having a downwardly inclined recess, and a stakeloop having extremities shiftably mounted in the bearing devices when disposed in a horizontal position, the abutments engaging portions of the opposite sides of the loop to hold the latter in fixed horizontal position, the extremities of the loop also being rotatable in the bearing de vices. V

5. A collapsible stake pocket comprising bearing devices having holding means and a stake loop having rotary association with t e b aring devices and also longitudinally shiftable between the latter to engage the set our hands in presence of two subscribing holding means, a part of the holding means witnesses. preventing movement of the stake loop CHARLES O KEAGY above a horizontal plane and the remain- JAMES R ARMER 5 ing part of said means preventing movement of the loop below a horizontal plane Witnesses: when the loop is shifted. BENJAMIN FISCHER,

In testimony whereof We have hereunto BARNET GLUOKMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. (1. 

